PEARCE — Arizona has confirmed its sixth case of New World screwworm, this time in a horse near Pearce in Cochise County, the Arizona Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday.
The horse is domesticated and has no known travel history, according to the department. It was found about 5 miles from Arizona’s first confirmed case, which a veterinarian discovered in a dog, KTAR News reported.
Because of the new case, the state set up an expanded Infested Zone covering the mandatory 20-kilometer, or 12.4-mile, radius around the site. No animals may leave the zone until movement restrictions are lifted or a state veterinarian approves, and self-inspection is suspended while the zone is active, the department said.
Arizona’s other confirmed cases involved a dog in Graham County, a sheep and a horse in Greenlee County, and a dog and a horse in Cochise County, according to state officials.
The New World screwworm is a fly larva that burrows into the living flesh of animals and, in rare cases, people. Federal agencies have been releasing sterile flies, like those shown being dispersed in the photo above, as part of efforts to stop the pest’s spread north from Mexico.
The Agriculture Department said it is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, neighboring states and Mexican counterparts on a regional response.
State officials urged livestock owners, auctions, processing plants, pet owners, animal shelters and hunters to watch the animals in their care closely. Anyone who sees unusual wounds that appear infested with maggots is asked to email diseasereporting@azda.gov or call 602-542-4293 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Hunters and others who find wildlife that appear infested should call the Arizona Game and Fish Department at 623-236-7201 and record GPS coordinates of the animal’s approximate location, the department said.
Sources: KTAR News. Thee Arizona Times uses AI-assisted reporting reviewed against the sources listed.
Photo: USDAgov / Public domain via Wikimedia Commons.
